[dd]

Worth considering the Facelift Phoenix poles. I think they cost a bit more but IMO the clamps are better - more user friendly thus quicker.

Which ones do you have? I have a big facelift carbon fibre pole, not sure what kind it is. I don't think they sell them any more, I bought it around 5-6 years ago, it cost me a small fortune. We rarely use it, just for high work. It is a quality pole though.

I have the slx 25 which is a great all round pole but whilst the new clamps are better I still think they are the weak point of the pole.

The facelift Phoenix range come in fibreglass, composite and full carbon. I do not currently own one but have seen one and to me the clamps look very good. Richard Clues (RC Property) has had the full carbon Phoenix a good while now and rates it and generally the reviews are very good for the Phoenix.

[Small but perfectley formed]

i would trial a carbon/gf mix phoenix the clamps are quicker than slx  . i own both slx and phoenix  the latter being my choice .

[formb]

What about Ionics? Anyone use their poles?

[prestigeclean]

you might want to wait i saw on the facelift site that they are bringing out a new pole called the renegade with the emphasis on durability , and the clamps they use are far superior to anything else on the market in my opinion regards alan

[windowswashed]

Facelift poles are really good poles for durability and rigidity. Made of thicker carbon wall than gardiners, slightly heavier, but not that noticeable and will certainly take more abuse if you are letting your employees use them.

[PoleKing]

What about Ionics? Anyone use their poles?

I'm all ionic ATM.
Bought SLXII's and Extreme on Friday but not used them yet.
I really like the Ionic poles but am giving the Gardiners a shot after the reviews on here.
Should have Swift 45' and Ergolite 72' for sale next week if anyone's interested...

[formb]

So...


I have ordered a Pheonix pro 22 and an SLX-22.

The new Facelift pole will be aluminium apparently.....

[DG Cleaning]

Apparently the full carbon Facelift has a fibreglass bottom section so I wouldn't compare it with another full carbon pole.

[formb]

Apparently the full carbon Facelift has a fibreglass bottom section so I wouldn't compare it with another full carbon pole.

The Facelift pole I ordered isn't carbon it's composite. I went for that one because it is in a similar price bracket, the SLX full carbon being slightly more expensive.

[dd]

Apparently the full carbon Facelift has a fibreglass bottom section so I wouldn't compare it with another full carbon pole.

That is to insulate from electric shock from overhead power cables. Seems reasonable to me.

[PoleKing]

Apparently the full carbon Facelift has a fibreglass bottom section so I wouldn't compare it with another full carbon pole.

That is to insulate from electric shock from overhead power cables. Seems reasonable to me.

It does, but upto 800,000 volts up there on some pylons.
I don't think 2mm of fibreglass is gonna save anyone.
Especially if its wet.

[dd]

You are not very likely to catch a pylon cable (not with a 25 ft pole anyway). Ionics carbon poles also have a fibre glass base section.

[PoleKing]

You are not very likely to catch a pylon cable (not with a 25 ft pole anyway). Ionics carbon poles also have a fibre glass base section.

That's why I don't get insulating them. 20 or 30 feet isn't high enough to catch anything electrical. A pole long enough to catch a pylon or something, there's so much current up there, it'd just travel down the pole and arc to the user.
Unless someone more cleverer than what I is knows betterer

[telfordwindowclnr]

I love my gardiner poles, but they are not as durable as Brodex. Brodex customer service as we know is naff, but their aluminium poles are employee-proof. I bought a load of gardiner poles over the last 12 months and had resineck goosenecks break this week and John guest fittings I find let the hose out from time to time. It never happened with the Brodex stuff.

Which do I think is a superior design pole? Gardiner. Which do I think is more durable? Brodex.

[roundbuilder]

what about the unger nlite carbon pole? Anyone tried them?? They look good.

[Alex Gardiner]

I love my gardiner poles, but they are not as durable as Brodex. Brodex customer service as we know is naff, but their aluminium poles are employee-proof. I bought a load of gardiner poles over the last 12 months and had resineck goosenecks break this week and John guest fittings I find let the hose out from time to time. It never happened with the Brodex stuff.

Which do I think is a superior design pole? Gardiner. Which do I think is more durable? Brodex.

Hi Steve

Was this doing Solar panels or standard window cleaning?

Looking at the pictures etc of your work that you have sent in the past, solar panel work on the scale you are doing does put a lot of extra strain on to the resi-neck.

I am thinking for solar panel farm cleaning I am going to have to come up with a tougher solution at exactly the right angle as discussed previously with you.

If you find that the hose is not staying put under all situations in the John Guest fittings then these little barbs adapters will cure it - http://www.gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/acatalog/John-Guest-8mm-stem-to-6mm-Barb-PM250806E.html

Do you also use the Brodex poles on your solar farm work?

[andyM]

I've had a resi-neck break from just doing window/conservatory cleaning.
Never had it happen with one of the bog standard threaded plastic adjustable necks i've used in the past.

[Alex Gardiner]

You are not very likely to catch a pylon cable (not with a 25 ft pole anyway). Ionics carbon poles also have a fibre glass base section.

That's why I don't get insulating them. 20 or 30 feet isn't high enough to catch anything electrical. A pole long enough to catch a pylon or something, there's so much current up there, it'd just travel down the pole and arc to the user.
Unless someone more cleverer than what I is knows betterer

We insulate the handle section of our carbon poles (insulated layer on top of carbon) to protect the user from accidental shock from domestic power lines. Even 240v or 410v can kill so it is vital to protect against it.

We have had at least two users with SLX 18 poles who have blown up the top of their pole by catching them on over head lines. They both were fine as the insulated handle did its job.

[Alex Gardiner]

I've had a resi-neck break from just doing window/conservatory cleaning.
Never had it happen with one of the bog standard threaded plastic adjustable necks i've used in the past.

Did we replace this for you?

If so has the replacement broken or is it fine?

[andyM]

Hi Alex, I didn't contact you about it.
To be honest I have a few of them and I couldn't rightly remember if the one that broke was over a year old (as the oldest one is/was) or if it were one of the newer ones.
So I gave it the benefit of the doubt, because if it was more than a year old I think it has probably given me fair use anyway.
Although I would say that to me there does seem to be a little more flex in them when cleaning conservatory roof panels than the older style plastic necks.